Tripping the Rainbow an Elf Verse Story
by MoonFireFic
Summary: King Bran, Lord of the Leprechauns, has a bumper crop of four-leafed clovers to recover before midnight on St. Patrick's Day. Team Icicle, the Holiday Assurance Elves last seen in The Star of Seren Glen are called in to help.
1. Chapter 1

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Title: Tripping the Rainbow

Author: moonfirefic

Beta: milady_dragon (Major props to you for returning this so fast!)

Characters: Jack, Ianto, Owen, Andy, Tosh, Donna, The Doctor (10th), Alice (mentioned), Others

Rating: PG -13

Summary: King Bran, Lord of the Leprechauns has a bumper crop of four-leaf clovers to recover before midnight on St. Patrick's Day. Team Icicle, the Holiday Assurance Elves last seen in The Star of Seren Glen are called in to help.

A/N: Just a little something fun for St. Patrick's Day.

A/N #2: You might want to read The Star of Seren Glen First, but I think you will be alright to read this on it's own.

* * *

**Chapter One**

* * *

_Elfsburg, North Pole_

_Holiday Assurance Headquarters_

_March 17th - 09:00_

"So anyone know why we were called in?" Owen "Peanut Brittle" Harper asked with a yawn as he filled his cup of coffee. Judging by the quality of the coffee on hand, their team leader Ianto "Hot Toddy" Jones had already been in.

"No idea," replied Toshiko "Snowdrop" Sato, sipping on her jasmine tea. "It's been blessedly quiet since the Valentine's incident. But judging by the date and the greenery outside," she added gesturing out the conference room window to where a shamrock-bedecked Elfsburg could be seen, "It would appear that Old King Bran has called in a favor."

"You mean the Leprechaun King who lives under the ruins of Dunluce Castle?" Andy "Nog" Davidson asked, scratching his head. "I heard that he has piles of gold up to the ceiling of his cave and an army of Pookas to do his bidding, and he can always call on the Bureau of Leprechauns for help. Why would he need us?"

"Why indeed?" asked Doc "Fruitcake" Smith, as he sauntered into the room and poured himself a cup of tea. "I'm supposed to be seconded to Mother Nature for the Spring Equinox and they even pulled me in." Tosh and Owen exchanged a look. If Doc had been called away from helping out Mother Nature herself, something big was in the works.

"Can't be that bad," contemplated Owen as he filled his cup again. "I mean after Eros tripped over his toga, shot himself and half the world with the wrong arrow, and fell in love with a pineapple, this job should be a piece of cake."

Andy snickered. They had arrived on the scene to find the God of Love composing an ode to the fruit, while his wife Psyche stood beside him shaking her head.

"Nothing that amusing I'm afraid," interrupted Ianto as he joined them. "Donna will be here in a few with the dossier, and trust me team, this time we have our work cut out for us."

"Is it really King Bran?" Andy asked eyes bright with excitement. As the youngest member of the team, he was still caught up in the adventure of working alongside his boyhood heroes and meeting the mythical leaders that he had only heard about.

"I'll leave that for Gingersnap to explain," Ianto replied as Donna Noble, Head Coordinator for Holiday Assurance, entered the room carrying a stack of folders in her arms.

"Good morning," she briskly greeted before joining the others around the table. "I trust you have all recovered from your last mission and are ready to go?" The others nodded, anxious to see what the mission entailed. "Right then, first things first." Pulling a yellow and pink folder off the top of the pile, she handed it to Toshiko.

"Snowdrop will not be accompanying the rest of you on this mission," she explained as she handed the rest of the team green folders. "She is heading to Germany to help the Easter Bunny."

Owen scowled. Peter Cottontail aka the Easter Bunny had been trying to get a date with Tosh for years, and just when Owen had finally worked up enough nerve to ask her out himself, the long-eared twat was pulling a fast one to get her all to himself.

"It says here that we are going to be helping him establish a Prep and Landing style approach to egg distribution," Tosh read aloud before glancing up at Donna in surprise as she realized the full implications of that statement. "We're going to be training the newly formed Cottontail Corps and getting them ready in less than two months?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course you are," Donna replied with a tight smile. "And before the lot of you protest that it isn't enough time, as soon as you finish with this matter of King Bran's I expect all of you to gear up and get cracking on helping her out with the new troops."

Owen groaned in protest, and Ianto quickly raised an eyebrow. "This request comes from Santa himself," he clarified, making sure Owen understood that there would be no arguing with the assignment.

"I expect each and every one of you to represent elf-kind and Santa in a _professional_ matter. Are we clear?" Donna asked, looking pointedly at Owen.

"Yes Miss Gingersnap Ma'am!" Andy saluted, causing Owen to roll his eyes and down the last of his coffee.

"Yes well," replied Donna, rather flustered at Andy's salute. Doc and Ianto exchanged a grin as the unflappable Miss Noble flushed to the roots of her hair. "If there is nothing further about the Easter mission, I would like all of you to open the Dossier for Operation Clover," she said, and the briefing began.

* * *

_Holiday Assurance Dispatch Terminal_

_Mid-Afternoon_

"So it's just supposed to show up here then?" Doc asked, looking out the window to where clouds were obscuring the early spring sun.

"According to the dossier, any minute now," Ianto replied, glancing at his watch. "I just hope Owen and Andy make it in time."

As if on cue, the other two elves appeared in a burst of golden sparkles inside of a nearby chimney-port. Owen emerged first, glancing around a moment before spotting Doc and Ianto at the far end of the terminal.

"Sorry we're late," Owen apologized as he ran up to meet them. "But young Andy here decided that the standard black fatigues and green elf caps weren't festive enough."

He stepped aside as Andy proudly strode forward, sporting an impressive set of ginger whiskers.

"Top o' the afternoon to ya!" Andy greeted the others, causing Ianto to cringe at his bad fake accent.

"Whiskers are one thing Nog," Ianto chastised. "But for goodness sake man, leave the bad accent at home."

Andy's face fell, but his smile soon returned when he looked over Ianto's shoulder out the window behind him. "I think our ride is here," he observed, causing the others to follow his gaze.

As they watched, the clouds over Elfsburg parted, and the sun shone down through the light mist of rain exposing a massive rainbow sloping down out of the sky to end at the entrance to docking bay two.

"Well gents," Ianto said with a smile. "Looks like King Bran kept up his end of the bargain, what do you say we hold up ours?" The rest of the team returned his grin and they made their way to the docking bay, stepping gingerly onto the rainbow and starting their trek towards Ireland and the secret cave of the Leprechauns.

* * *

"I'm glad to have your help," King Bran addressed Team Icicle as they arrived. Once they had all stepped off the rainbow, he snapped his fingers and the rainbow bent back up into the sky leaving the entrance to the cave hidden amongst the rocks below the castle ruins.

"The pleasure is all ours," Ianto replied taking in the regal looking leprechaun before him. Leprechauns were shorter then elves by nature, but King Bran himself was tall for his kind, and built strong and sturdy as a plow hand. If it weren't for the emerald velvet jacket and breeches, the brocade waistcoat, and the crown atop his head, Ianto was sure that he would have mistaken him as just another leprechaun.

Turning to the cave entrance, Bran led the elves inside, stopping to make sure that the rock face slid closed behind them. "We don't normally need extra help with the gatherin' of the green," he explained as they walked past the piles of gold lining the corridor to the main cavern. "But Mother Nature decided that with the world being a bit down-hearted of late, the humans needed a little extra hope." They exited the corridor into a large cavern filled with a variety of fey folk. At length Bran came to a stop in front of a large monitor. A map of the world was displayed and green dots could be seen lighting up the landscape.

"Mother Nature overdid it a bit didn't she?" Doc observed as another series of green dots flashed into existence.

"Aye she did," confirmed Bran. "And as any not retrieved before midnight tonight come true, you can see the chaos we're tryin' to prevent."

Ianto nodded. "When do we start?" he asked.

King Bran smiled. "Go join the others. Seamus will kit you out after I make a little speech." He gestured to where a rather stout leprechaun with a fire engine red beard was directing the stacking of several boxes of gold coins next to a pile of shillelaghs on the other side of the cavern, before turning back to consult with one of the other leprechauns nearby. Ianto took that as their cue to leave.

"We're seriously going to run around the world and pick up clovers?" Owen hissed as they joined the others not liking this mission at all.

"That looks to be the size of it," Ianto replied as they made their way to where the other retrieval teams were waiting. As Owen continued to grumble under his breath, Ianto noticed that several of the leprechauns were rolling barrels down the cavern floor to rest alongside a great throne. "From the looks of things it would appear that we are having a bit of a party once all is said and done," he pointed out hoping that the promise of a good pint of leprechaun ale might appease him.

"As long as I don't have to dance any jigs," retorted Owen. Ianto chuckled and turned his attention back to the dais at the front of the cavern where King Bran called for order and began to speak.

"Thank all of you for coming," he began. "As most of you know, this year produced a bumper crop of four-leaf clovers. With your help we can collect all of them before the coming of the morn and ensure that only the most pure of wishes comes true." A short leprechaun, young enough to not have grown any whiskers, handed him a golden goblet and the king thanked him before continuing his speech. "Each of you will be broken into teams of two and given a list of names and locations for retrieval," he explained. "Since a little competition might speed your work, I offer The Golden Goblet of Tilldare," he held the goblet aloft, allowing the jewels on its sides to twinkle in a shaft of light. "The goblet never runs dry, and will be the prize for the team that returns the most clovers before the clock strikes twelve. Good hunting and may the luck of the Irish be with you!" A cheer rang out amongst the assembly and they quickly broke off into teams of two, each of which was given a list of names and a shillelagh.

"What's the stick for?" Owen asked as Ianto and Doc were each handed the shillelaghs for their team.

"Tap once to go to the next name on the list," explained Seamus as his helper handed over a list of names to Owen and Andy. "Once you retrieve the clover, tap twice and you return here to deposit it in the pot for safekeeping."

"Seems simple enough," Andy shrugged.

Seamus grinned. "Aye it 'tis laddie, but there's one more thing," he reached into the box of gold coins and counted out several before slipping them into a drawstring pouch and handing it to him. "Once you get the clover, you replace it with a coin." Seamus saw Andy's confused expression and took pity on him. "All things in balance lad," he explained, patting him on the shoulder. "If a wish is not to be granted, we must pay in kind for the magic to cancel out." Andy smiled back at him in understanding and Seamus gave him a crooked smile in return before wishing them good luck and outfitting the next team in line.

"What do you say to a side wager Nog?" Owen asked once they had reached an open spot away from the chaos of outfitting the teams. "Say Toddy and I take on you and Doc and the last one to return with all of his clovers has to do the other's washing for a month.

"But you always have the dirtiest, stinkiest clothes in Elfsburg," Andy replied wrinkling his nose.

"Right you are," Owen grinned. "But you aren't planning on losing are you?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Not on my watch he isn't," Doc replied for him. Taking the list from his hand, Doc scoured it before looking up at Owen with a twinkle in his eye.

"How about we increase the wager?" Doc asked as Ianto started skimming over his own list. "Andy and I win, you and Ianto act as our personal valets for a month: Opening doors for us, cleaning, coffee, and mucking Dasher's stall, the works."

"And if Owen and I win, you and Andy get to do both of our laundry, clean all of our mission gear, and act as our personal valets as well," Ianto answered holding out his hand to shake on it. "Agreed?"

The elves exchanged glances. "Agreed," they replied as one, each shaking an opposing team member's hand.

"Alright lads, time to round up some clover," Seamus called out. The sound of tapping filled the room as the shillelaghs struck the ground and the assembled masses winked out of sight.

* * *

_Later that Evening_

_Current score: Team OI -15, Team DA - 14_

_O'Donnell's Pub – Northern Belfast_

Owen and Ianto appeared in a flash of green in the storage room of O'Donnell's Pub and quickly hid behind a nearby barrel.

"One more to go," Owen observed and the two shared a grin. Other than a wayward dog and a clingy six year old that had taken a well placed sparkle bomb to displace, the night had gone rather smoothly. "Next on the list is Miss Mary Kineely," Ianto read aloud. "Says here that she tends bar at O'Donnell's Pub and has a penchant for scrapbooking." Owen gave him a look. "What?" Ianto huffed. "It's not like there are a lot of clues to this, maybe scrapbooking is a way to track down where she's hidden it."

Owen glanced around the barrel as the door to the storage room was pushed open bringing in the sounds of music and merrymaking from the pub beyond. "We should be out there drinking with them you know," he grumbled, watching as a pretty girl wearing a 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' glitter crown kissed her way through the bar. "Would you look at that?" he complained. "I could be locking lips with her, but oh no, I am stuck with you looking for Mary Kineely and her scrapbooked shamrock."

Ianto rolled his eyes and watched as the bartender stacked up a few cases of beer and made his way back through the door. "Come on," he whispered, pulling Owen behind him as they slipped through the door and into the pub.

The rowdy crowd inside the pub was singing along to the band as they belted out the chorus to 'Bugger Off'. As several of the patrons began to dance a drunken jig, Owen and Ianto wove between their legs, finally stopping out of breath when they made it to the corner behind the bar.

"Bloody hell!" Owen swore as he scanned the room in an attempt to find where Miss Mary could possibly have hidden her clover. "We're never going to find it like this," he realized, and Ianto nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you stay here and look behind the bar," he advised as another glass of beer fell onto the floor near their feet. "And I'll scour the room and see if I can find something in one of those frames on the walls." He clicked on his comm. and handed Owen the shillelagh. Owen switched on his own comm., and watched as Ianto took a deep breath and pulled out his case of sugar plums. Taking a nibble of the purple one, he quickly grew to human size and shook the ringing from his ears before making his way into the crowd.

Owen watched him go and quickly made his way behind the bar, hoping that he might get lucky and find Mary Kineely's purse amongst the cupboards and her scrapbooked clover within easy reach.

* * *

_Meanwhile in Shrewsbury, Shropshire…_

"Right then," said Andy as he and Doc appeared inside the garden center at the Tesco's Extra. "Since we dropped off that clover from Alabama, there's only one left to go." The two of them scoured their list for information and found that their final clover holder was a certain Jerry Lawson, a clerk in the seasonal department with a secret love of pocket watches.

"Well then, it's off to home and seasonal supplies we go!" Doc exclaimed as the two of them scurried from behind the plant pots and made their way across the sales floor.

After getting lost twice and almost being purchased as a toy for a toddler, the two of them decided to climb to the top of a display case in hope of possibly finding their way around.

"Seasonal sighted sir!" called out Andy as he pointed to a garish inflatable rainbow suspended over a papier-mâché pot of gold in the distance.

"Well done Andy," Doc complimented the younger elf, and the two of them began hopping across the aisle tops towards their target.

* * *

Ianto had woven his way through most of the crowd and examined nearly every picture on the walls of the pub with no success. "No go on the wall art," he called over the comm.. "Any luck on your end?"

"Ianto!" answered a frantic Owen. "You need to get back here ASAP and stay away from the center of the pub!"

Ianto scanned the room as he made his way back, wondering what had gotten Owen so upset, when suddenly he noticed a flash of green around the neck of the girl wearing the crown.

"Come on Mary! Give us another one lassie!" called out a drunken man in a beer spattered green shirt.

"You've had enough Fergus!" the girl yelled back, taking his empty glass and adding it to the pile on her tray before swatting his arm good-naturedly. Ianto blinked as he saw her bend over to pick up another glass and the pendant of her necklace reflect off the overhead lights. Inside a black square block, scrapbooked onto a field of green and encased in clear plastic was a four leaf clover.

"I have a visual," Ianto said over the comm.. "She's wearing it around her neck. I'm going to retrieve it now." He barely registered the curses Owen was swearing down the line back at him as he wove his way towards her. As the way cleared and he saw Mary heading towards the kitchen, he found his path blocked. "Excuse me," Ianto said, trying to get past the man in front of him and watching as Mary disappeared into the kitchen to unload her tray.

"Ianto? Is that you?" the man in front of him asked.

Ianto stilled and drew his gaze away from the kitchen toward the man before him, who was staring back with a happy expression of surprise. He recognized him instantly as the man with whom he had shared a kiss under the mistletoe last Christmas: Jack Harkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Tripping the Rainbow**

**Rating: PG -13**

**Summary: Further adventures of Team Icicle, the Holiday Assurance Elves first introduced in The Star of Seren Glen.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

* * *

_O'Donnell's Pub – Northern Belfast_

"H-Hello Jack," Ianto stuttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Sportsman's convention," Jack explained with a shrug. "It's the off season, so I figured it might do me some good to see the latest gear. Besides, spending St. Patrick's Day in Ireland does have its appeal." He smiled and Ianto found himself smiling back. "Still helping out with holidays then?" he asked gesturing to Ianto's green elf cap and pointy ears.

"Just something festive for a pub crawl with some friends," Ianto answered, scratching the back of his neck nervously and hoping to all that was holy that his blush had for once not spread to the tips of his ears.

"Where are they then?" Jack asked looking around.

"Who?" Ianto asked, distracted by the sound of Owen cursing for him to get out of there in his ear.

"Your friends?" Jack reminded him and Ianto blushed harder, knowing that his ears were now definitely red.

"Oi! Jones!" called a very human sized Owen as he stomped across the bar towards them. "Can't leave your arse alone for two minutes can I?" He teased, as he reached them. "Owen Harper," he said holding his hand out to Jack to shake.

"Jack Harkness," Jack replied shaking his hand and keeping his eyes trained on Ianto. "You're a friend of Ianto's then?"

Owen looked back and forth between the two men and laughed. "Definitely friends only mate," he replied with a grin taking in Ianto's tell-tale red ears. "I think I'm going to give the crowned one a go if you don't mind," he added, winking at Ianto and sauntering towards where Mary was weaving her way back through the crowd. "You owe me one Toddy," he whispered over the comm.. "Make the most of it with lover boy and meet me in the storage room in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks," Ianto whispered back and turned his attention back to Jack.

* * *

_Tesco's_

_Shrewsbury, Shropshire_

"Do you see him Doc?" Andy asked from their perch hidden amongst the display of Easter decorations above the rows of discounted paper shamrocks and marshmallow eggs.

Doc shook his head and pointed to the end of the aisle. "I think he might be up front near the baby dolls and push cars." Sure enough, as they watched the end of the aisle, a rather large man wearing a Tesco's apron over his shirt and waistcoat was making his way up the aisle towards them.

"Well his name tag at least says Jerry," Andy observed.

Doc nodded. "Alright here's the plan: You sneak down there and check his waistcoat for a pocket watch. I am pretty sure they listed it for a reason, and my guess is that he has the clover inside the back for safekeeping."

Andy looked skeptical. "That's putting me a lot closer to this human than I really want to be, sir," he said, concerned.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Doc asked swooping his arm out and accidentally knocking off one of the pre-wrapped Easter baskets onto the floor with the shillelagh. The two elves froze with smiles on their faces as Jerry walked over to inspect the basket for damage before looking up at what had caused it to fall. "Don't move," Doc whispered as Jerry reached up to pull Andy down from the top shelf.

"Time to rotate you to the clearance section, mate," Jerry said as he raised his pricing gun and stamped a 40% off sticker on Andy's cap. Setting the elf down on his cart, he reached up for his companion who was brandishing a shillelagh like a sword and stamped him as well. "Must be some weird action figure type garden leprechauns or something," Jerry muttered to himself as he carried the two of them down to the clearance section. He set them down on the shelf next to a stack of garish green and orange mugs with 'Erin Go Bragh!' emblazed upon them before making his way back up the aisle to restock the Cadbury eggs.

"What do we do now?" Andy asked, finally able to stop smiling as Jerry got back to work and moved away.

Doc dropped his arm and looked up and down the aisle, noticing that other than Jerry their section was deserted. "We improvise," Doc replied slipping a sparkle ornament off his belt and into his hand. Tossing it to Andy he raised the shillelagh. Andy grinned and pitched it towards Doc who swung the shillelagh like a bat and sent it sailing down the aisle towards Jerry.

* * *

After ordering a few pints, Jack and Ianto managed to find an empty booth at the back of the pub and the two of them sat down to talk. "It's odd to see you out of a suit," Jack said as he and Ianto tried to talk over the crowd behind them. "Not that I mind the black fatigues," he added with a wolfish grin.

Ianto smiled back and took off his cap, hoping to make himself less conspicuous. Not sure what to say to the man he had been secretly watching over via snow globe for the last three months, he took a large swig of his pint and tried not to look nervous.

"So," Jack tried again. "What exactly does H.A. stand for? Special Ops of some sort?" he asked. "Are you on a mission or something?"

Ianto paled and then smiled as he realized that Jack was merely referring to the emblem on his shoulder. "Special Ops is a good way to put it," he replied with a grin. "Owen is part of my team. We're here on assignment."

"Ah," said Jack, "So what exactly does your team do?"

At a loss for words Ianto looked over to where Owen was snogging Mary in the corner, deftly slipping the plastic encased clover off her necklace and replacing it with a coin. The two of them came up for air, and he saw Mary put her hand on her chest as she caught her breath, causing her eyes to go wide as she noticed that her lucky pendant was missing.

"Thief!" she cried out, slapping Owen in the face.

"Supposedly making sure holidays happen," Ianto replied, standing up and causing Jack to furrow his brows in confusion. "But right now, it would appear I'm making sure that Owen doesn't go to jail."

Before Jack could reply, Ianto grabbed his cap and downed his pint before chasing after Owen who had bolted out the door of the pub and down the street.

"Ianto! Wait up!" Jack called as he chased after him.

"Brittle!" Ianto called over the comm.. "Where the holly berries are you?"

"Second street on the right, third door on the left," came Owen's breathless reply. "It's a storehouse full of whiskey. Lots of barrels to hide behind."

"Copy that," Ianto replied, turning down the side street with Jack hot on his heels. A mob consisting of Mary and a few of the more rowdy O'Donnell's patrons ran by on a side street and Ianto quickly flattened himself against a brick wall, pulling Jack into the shadows beside him.

"What are we doing?" Jack asked, slightly drunk and definitely out of breath.

"Saving Owen's skin," Ianto replied, leaning around the corner and watching the mob head down another street. "They've gone," he noted, pushing off from the wall to head towards the storehouse that Owen had mentioned with Jack close behind. They quickly found the door and made their way inside, narrowly missing a sparkle bomb that exploded to their left.

"Sorry!" Owen called out, standing up from behind a barrel. "I wasn't sure it was you."

"What the hell was that?"Jack asked watching as the gold dust drifted down from the door and disappeared.

"Oh great," groused Owen. "You brought your boyfriend along."

"Please tell me that you at least remembered the shillelagh?" asked Ianto ignoring him.

"Slid it into my boot for safe keeping," Owen replied with a smirk. "So what's the plan?"

Before Ianto could answer, a banging could be heard on the other side of the warehouse door.

"Open up in there!" called out a drunken voice. "You daft buggers stole from Mary and I mean to have a word with ya!"

Ianto and Jack exchanged a look before running to where Owen was hidden behind a stack of whiskey barrels.

"This would work a lot better if we weren't so tall," Owen observed. Ianto nodded. But what about Jack? Sugarplums had never been tested on a human, and he had no idea if they would react the same way. As the pounding got louder, Ianto decided that they were going to have to risk it.

"Jack, I'm going to need you to trust me," Ianto whispered as he took out a small case containing a blue and purple blob of sugar candy.

Jack looked down at the candy and back up to Ianto who was pleading with his eyes.

"I trust you," Jack replied, hoping it wasn't just the beer talking.

Ianto smiled and broke off a tiny piece of the blue sugarplum and placed it in his palm.

Jack looked over at Owen and saw that he had a similar box of sweets in his hand.

"I need you to eat it the same time we do," Ianto explained. "And after you do, even if you freak out a little, try to stay quiet." Jack nodded and raised the candy to his mouth. "On three. Ready? One, two…" Ianto took a nibble of his sugarplum and Owen and Jack followed suit.

As the group of drunken pub patrons broke into the warehouse, the three of them shrunk down to elf size in a burst of blue sparks.

* * *

While Owen and Ianto were busy hiding in Belfast, Andy and Doc had run into a little trouble of their own.

"How was I supposed to know that it would break!" yelled Andy as he and Doc ran down the aisles of Tesco's toward the toy section.

Doc rolled his eyes as they skidded round a corner, past the action figures and towards the bikes and motorized kiddie cars. "When I said roll him over, I thought you at least had the sense to get the shillelagh away from him first," he panted.

"Well my focus was on getting the blasted clover out of his watch," Andy replied, glancing over his shoulder to where the security guards were gaining on them. "How was I supposed to know that he would land on it and snap it in two?"

The shillelagh had indeed broken when Jerry shifted in his sleep and landed his full weight on it. A spectacular shower of green sparks had gone up as it broke, causing the inflatable rainbow above them to burst and the papier-mâché pot of gold to dangle precariously for a moment before snapping it's string and rolling down the aisle towards the security station.

"We need to find another way out of here and fast!" Doc said as they came to a stop in front of a motorized Barbie Jeep. "And that is going to help us do it!" The two of them scrambled up into the Jeep and Doc turned the key to start it.

"Do you even have a license?" Andy asked as they burst out of the display rack and down the aisle.

"Closest thing I have is a reindeer permit," Doc replied turning the wheel to take the Jeep back towards the less populated garden center at a high whine.

"But you fell off Dasher the last time you tried to ride him!" Andy complained, holding onto the plastic dashboard for dear life.

"Well as long as this thing doesn't try to fly we should be just fine," Doc answered, grinning madly as they caught a little air and slid past a display of watering cans. The security guards were still chasing after them, and the few late night shoppers in the store were staring at them wide eyed as they drove past.

"We've been seen," Andy observed. "Ginge is going to be furious."

"Let me worry about her," Doc gritted out as he made the turn towards house plants. "You keep an eye out for-" He didn't have a chance to finish his statement. As Doc turned the Jeep towards the plant aisle, the battery on the Jeep gave one last whine of power and then sputtered to a stop.

"Doc?" Andy asked worried.

"Come on, come on," Doc said, turning the key and hoping to get the vehicle moving again.

"Hold it right there!" ordered the security guard in front of them.

Andy raised his hands immediately and looked at Doc who reluctantly followed suit.

"Alright you two. Step away from the er, Jeep, and keep your hands where I can see them," ordered the security guard as another guard stepped forward to cuff their hands. When they fell off as they were too big, the guard pulled out a couple of zip ties instead. As Andy and Doc were marched through the store to the security station, they saw a police constable waiting for them.

"Andy, can you reach my comm.?" Doc asked as they were escorted out of the store and into the back of the police car. "I think the time has come to call for reinforcements."

* * *

"Where the hell did they go?" Fergus asked the others as they searched the storehouse.

In the shadows behind a stack of barrels, Ianto, Owen, and a very confused Jack waited in silence. After a few moments the group had given up looking for them and decided to head back to the pub.

"That was close," Owen breathed once they left.

Ianto nodded and turned to Jack, who was staring at them with his arms crossed.

"You're elves," he stated, glancing up at Ianto's ears which twitched under the scrutiny.

"And proud of it!" Owen replied, standing up and slipping the shillelagh from his boot.

"You said you were special ops," Jack continued. "I may have had a pint or two, but I am not drunk enough to be hallucinating." He paused as if trying to determine just how drunk he really was; even pinching his own arm for good measure before wincing in pain. "At least I don't think I am."

"We_ are_ special ops," Ianto answered, hoping that he would understand. "Holiday Assurance as a point of fact." He straightened up and stood at attention. "Commander Jones, Team Icicle, at your service," he said giving Jack a short salute.

"So you what, live at the North Pole-" Jack started to ask, slightly overwhelmed.

"Elfsburg actually," Owen interrupted.

"Elfsburg then," Jack replied with a glare. "And just go out on missions whenever a holiday is in peril?"

"That's about the size of it yeah," Ianto replied, easing back into a more casual stance and checking his watch. "And seeing as it is almost midnight we have very little time to complete this one before it's too late." He glanced over at Owen who held the shillelagh up and at the ready.

"Speaking of size, how the hell do I get back to normal?" Jack asked gazing up at the whiskey barrel that was now at least twice his height.

"Oh, sorry about that," Ianto apologized. "It's just easier to go unnoticed if we stay our normal height." Jack lowered his gaze in accusation and Ianto realized that Jack must be thinking that everything he had said last Christmas was a lie. "Look Jack, you can't tell anyone about us," he pleaded. "If word got out that elves, and other magical folk were real, then we would be hunted or captured or something even worse."

Jack held his gaze a moment and saw that Ianto was telling the truth. "Alright," he finally conceded. "But if you ever pass my way again, I expect a visit."

Ianto smiled and Jack returned it in kind.

"If you two are done flirting, we best get a move on," Owen prodded.

"Right, absolutely," Ianto agreed, pulling out his sugarplum case and handing Jack a small piece of the purple sugarplum. He placed it in Jack's palm and Jack caught Ianto's hand before he could pull away, pulling him closer. Their lips were only a whisper apart when suddenly Ianto's comm. began to ring with Motley Crue's _Dr. Feelgood_ causing the pair to jump apart. Ianto gave Jack a regretful look and tapped his comm. to put the call through.

"Hot Toddy here," he answered, trying not to blush when Jack chuckled at his call sign. "Fruitcake, slow down, I can't…" Ianto said before suddenly going pale enough to cause his ears to droop in distress as Doc continued speaking.

"Shrewsbury," Ianto repeated looking up at Owen who was watching him with concern. "Alright, you and Nog sit tight. Brittle and I will think of something." Ianto clicked off his comm. and turned to the others.

"They were captured collecting another clover in a Tesco's in Shrewsbury," he quickly explained. "Apparently they were mistaken for midgets, and arrested for assault on a clerk and vehicular theft."

"Theft?" Owen asked in disbelief. "Garlands! What did they steal?"

"Would you believe a Barbie Jeep?" Ianto replied, barely biting back a laugh.

The ridiculousness of their predicament caused the tension in the air to dissipate as Owen started laughing and Ianto and Jack joined in.

"Is this normal for your team?" Jack asked wiping a tear from his eye as the laughter died down.

"No, last month was misguided arrows and Odes to a Grecian Pineapple," Ianto quipped as he started to pace. It was fifteen minutes until midnight and they needed to spring two elves from lock-up and return the clovers to King Bran before then. If only they had some way of getting inside the precinct without raising any more alarms. He glanced over to where Jack was staring at the piece of sugarplum in his hand and an idea began to form.

"Hey Jack?" he asked turning to the human who he had dared to trust with the elves' secret. "Do you know anything about police stations?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Tripping the Rainbow**

**Rating: PG -13**

**Summary: King Bran, Lord of the Leprechauns, has a bumper crop of four-leafed clovers to recover before midnight on St. Patrick's Day. Team Icicle, the Holiday Assurance Elves last seen in The Star of Seren Glen are called in to help.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

* * *

_West Mercia Police Station_

_Shrewsbury, Shropshire_

"Right this way Inspector Harkness," said the Desk Sergeant Clary as he led Jack, who was now wearing a police uniform, through the station to the cell holding the two midgets they had dubbed the 'Leprechaun Bandits'. "I understand from the call I received from Chief Inspector Jones that your undercover division has been after these rascals for some time."

"That's correct," Jack replied, watching as Clary unlocked the cell holding Andy and Doc. "They have a pretty large rap sheet, one that I am afraid is still classified due to the nature of their crimes."

"No skin off my nose," Clary replied. "A fight broke out over at the Three Fishes Inn and the boys are on their way back with the lot of them. We're going to need the space, so you're doing us a favor."

The door to the cell swung open and Jack saw the two elves inside look warily back at them. The one with the red whiskers he didn't know, but the other one looked very familiar. As the elf's eyes went wide in recognition, Jack suspicions were confirmed. It was Doc Smith, the tinker from Seren Glen who disappeared last Christmas.

"Come along now lads," Clary ordered as the two elves hopped down from the bench. "You've been released to Inspector Harkness' custody."

"Do you have their personal effects?" Jack asked as they walked back through to the front desk. "They're needed for evidence."

"Here you are," said Clary, handing over an evidence bag containing two metal candy canes, an ornament, a couple of wallets, comms. and what suspiciously looked like a gingerbread cookie. "Can you manage them by yourself?" he asked. "I need to stay by the phones tonight as we're short-handed."

"Oh I think they'll behave," Jack replied with a wink in Doc's direction. Sergeant Clary stood and gave him a salute and Jack returned it in kind before opening the door and escorting the two elves back outside.

As soon as they had cleared the front of the station, the three of them legged it over to where Ianto and Owen were waiting in a nearby alley.

"Were we followed?" Jack asked once they reached them, slightly out of breath.

Owen, who had kept watch at the edge of the alley, held up a scanner that looked a lot like the gingerbread cookie he had seen in the evidence bag and scanned the area. "No creatures stirring," he confirmed with a grin.

Jack watched as a snowflake shaped saw blade extended out of a slot in Ianto's sleeve and cut through Doc and the other elf's bonds. Once they were free, Doc made his way over to Jack and looked at him curiously.

"And how did you get caught up in this mess?" he asked as Jack handed him the evidence bag.

"Ran into Ianto and Owen over in North Belfast," Jack replied with a grin. "I offered to help get you out of your little predicament."

Doc cringed. "About that, please don't tell Alice I got arrested. She's far too impressionable as it is and I don't want her getting any ideas."

Jack stared at him open mouthed for a moment before snapping his jaw shut and shaking his head. "Alice knows doesn't she?" he asked, receiving a nod from Doc in answer. Suddenly her insistence that Doc had gone home where he belonged made so much more sense.

"Don't hold it against her Jack," he replied with a grin. "I asked her not to tell anyone and she's a good girl." Jack smiled back at him and Doc hesitated, glanced to where Ianto and Andy were talking and then continued. "The tinker shop has been a safe haven for fey kind for over a century," he said, making sure that Jack understood what he was trying to say. "I gave it to her since she could be trusted with our secrets. And now it appears so can you."

Jack looked over at Ianto and realized just how much might hinge on his answer. "Your secrets are safe with me Doc," he said. "And Harknesses always keep their promises."

"What's this about promises?" Ianto asked as the others came over to join them.

"Jack has just promised to keep our secrets," Doc replied, winking at Jack. "Not that it should come as any surprise. He's highly evolved for a human."

Ianto chuckled and Jack scowled.

Owen took a step back from the group and nibbled on his blue sugarplum to return to normal size.

"Oh thank Claus for that!" He exclaimed as he checked to make sure that everything was in its place. He and Ianto had become human size alongside Jack and sparkled an off duty PC in Northern Belfast, leaving him a stack of gold coins for his clothes and then used the emergency chimney port near the rail station to jump their way to Shrewsbury. Since the cantankerous elf rarely changed size, he couldn't get back to normal and away from humans fast enough.

"As charming as this little party is, we have a deadline to meet and only a few minutes to make it," Owen reminded them, tapping his watch. "Thanks for your help mate," he said shaking Jack's hand. "For a human, you aren't so bad."

Jack chuckled. "And for a snarky elf, you have a lot more heart then you let on," he replied with a grin.

"Well, don't tell anyone," he grumbled. "I've a rep to uphold."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack replied, his gaze falling to where Ianto was giving Andy and Doc last minute instructions before turning to face him. Giving a nod to the others, the three of them held back while Ianto said his goodbyes.

"Well it certainly has been an adventure," Ianto said, holding out his hand. Jack looked down at it and back up at the man no, _the elf_ that had turned his world upside down, and ignored it, pulling him in for a hug instead.

"That it has Ianto Jones," he whispered in his ear before pulling back and drawing him in for a soft kiss.

"I should go," Ianto whispered against his lips as the kiss deepened.

"Mmhmm," Jack replied, kissing him again. A church bell began to strike twelve in the distance and Ianto's eyes sprung open in alarm. "Go," Jack whispered, kissing him chastely on the lips and pushing him to where the others waited, shillelagh in hand.

Ianto nibbled on his sugarplum, shrunk, and quickly placed his hand on the shillelagh alongside the others. "Goodbye," he said with a sad smile as the shillelagh hit the ground a second time and the four elves disappeared in a flash of green light.

"Goodbye Ianto," Jack said with a sigh. As the last bell tolled, the alley around him fell into silence and Jack blinked back a tear as he reached into his pocket for his mobile. Inside he found a hundred pound note with a piece of paper attached that read 'for the cab ride home' and a single gold coin with a note of its own that read 'for luck – I'.

* * *

_Leprechaun Cavern_

_Dunluce Castle_

The members of Team Icicle landed in a heap in the middle of the cavern just as the last bell tolled the hour. As they placed their clovers inside the great pot, a cheer rang out amongst the assembled fey and the great pot pulsed with power as all of the clovers turned into gold coins.

"Well done!" King Bran called out raising the golden goblet over his head once more. "I drink to the lot of ye for making this night a success." He took a long draught from the goblet and turned to Seamus to receive an envelope with the final count. "The winners of the Golden Goblet of Tilldare are: Romy and Padriag of the Sidhe!

The crowd clapped as the two faeries claimed their prize. Owen and Ianto exchanged a look and shrugged. At least they had gotten their clovers in on time.

"And in appreciation for all of your hard work, we will drink the finest leprechaun ale and feast until the dawn!" proclaimed King Bran, and a long table laden with fruits, gooseberry crumble, shortbread, corned beef and cabbage, lamb shepherd's pie, smoked salmon, soda bread, scones, champ, Limerick ham, and any other food stuff you could imagine appeared alongside the barrels of ale.

A fiddler began to play in the corner and the party began. The members of Team Icicle each gathered up a pint and made their way towards the table.

"Well lads," Ianto said as he raised his pint. "Here's to us and a job well done."

"Slainte!" echoed the rest of the team as they raised their pints in salute.

* * *

Several hours and many cups later, the four of them had found a nice little outcropping of rock near the side of the cave and were swapping stories with a few pookas who had made it their business to muck about most of the evening with those humans who couldn't hold their liquor.

"This one fellow," snorted the dark haired man with golden eyes who kept shifting from a horse to a man and back again. "He was so inebriated that he climbed on my back and told me to take him to the nearest constable as he had something to declare." He paused for effect and took a long pull from his pint before he continued. "Naturally I obliged and dropped him on the front porch of the nearest precinct where he declared himself to be and I quote 'precisely and unequivocally drunk'." His listeners roared with laughter and the pooka whinnied out a laugh of his own.

"I have a toast," Owen declared staggering to his feet. "Here's to being single," he began trying not to sway. "Drinking doubles, and seeing triple!" That earned another round of laughter and Owen took a long swig of ale before wiping his mouth and spying a pretty wood sprite dancing on the other side of the cavern.

"Well gents," he said as he stepped off the rock onto the cavern floor. "I may be single, but I'll be damned if I'm without company this evening. Gentlemen," he bid them farewell, swooping off his cap and bowing before turning and placing it back on his head at a jaunty angle. "The ladies await!" With that he strode purposefully across the floor and bowed before the wood sprite and started in on an impressive jig.

"Would you look at that!" Ianto exclaimed as he watched him dance. "You owe me a tenner Doc. I knew he would dance before the night was through."

Doc dutifully handed over the money and squinted as he tried to bring the three dancing Owens into focus. "What I want to know," Doc asked, rolling his head towards Andy, "is how Davidson got those magnificent whiskers of his." Andy preened a bit as he stroked his waist-length red beard. "I always wanted to be ginger and never could figure out how to do it."

Ianto smiled at him over the top of his pint as he took another drink.

"And here some whipperty-snapper comes along and manages it on the first go!" Doc continued his rant, causing Andy to turn in his direction.

"If you must know Doc, it's really quite simple," Andy replied turning his empty glass upside down in confusion. "All you have to do is eat a lot of marmalade and bobs your uncle; ginger whiskers."

Doc stared back at him stunned. "Really? That's it?"

"That's it," Andy replied. "Now if you keep my pint from going empty for the rest of the night, I'll tell you which kind of marmalade works best." Doc set his own pint down and grabbed Andy's glass before hopping down off the rocks and making his way back towards the barrels of ale.

"You didn't really eat a ton of marmalade did you Andy?" Ianto asked, sure that there was more to the story.

"Course not," the younger elf said with a grin. "I'm half leprechaun on my mam's side. I can grow a beard with the best of them. It's simple gene, genec-ti-cee," he scowled suddenly finding it hard to decipher a word over two syllables. "It's in my blood," he finally managed to get out, before picking up Doc's discarded pint and taking a large swig.

Ianto blinked and laughed toasting him with his own.

"I trust you had a good evening lad?" asked a voice from his left and Ianto turned to find King Bran perched beside him.

"That I did sir," Ianto replied. "Sorry about the shillelagh though. It would seem that my team got a bit reckless near the end."

Bran laughed. "Aye they did at that. Leprechaun Bandits indeed."

Ianto smirked and the two of them fell into an easy silence.

"I've been meaning to ask you laddie, what's going on with this Captain of yours?" Bran asked, watching as the elf beside him stilled at the question. "'Tis not every day that a human takes such an interest in helping the fey folk without seeking anything in return."

"Jack's different," Ianto said, carefully keeping his eyes on the dancing before him. Human-fey relationships, while not forbidden were normally frowned upon, and in this day and age where every new discovery ended up on the evening news, were a rare occurrence. "He would never betray us if that's what you're worried about," he assured him, hoping that King Bran would understand.

"Settle down lad," Bran soothed, "I'm not here to chastise or judge. I'm just curious 'tis all."

Ianto took a long pull from his pint and licked his lips before he started to speak. "I met him last Christmas," he tried to explain. "Something kept pulling us together, and we shared a kiss or two under the mistletoe."

"Mistletoe is a very powerful thing for fey," King Bran observed, looking at the elf curiously.

"I know that," Ianto replied. "But it happened again tonight. He popped up again out of nowhere and helped us save the day." He turned his gaze to Bran and saw that the leprechaun was looking at him in surprise. "We never would have saved Doc or Andy or even returned the clovers here in time if it wasn't for him."

King Bran looked thoughtful. "'Tis a curious thing, love," he said turning his gaze back to the festivities. "You never know when it's going to happen or who will draw you in. Some say it's magic's way of keeping us all on our toes," he added with a grin.

"Or sweeping us off them," Ianto mumbled into his pint as he took another sip of his ale.

Bran smiled. "Well lad, it's twice now you've met the man and the attraction hasn't waned." He patted Ianto on the knee before standing up and straightening his crown. "It would seem that you might be a wee bit more caught in love's magical thrall than you let on," he added with a wink before heading back to rejoin the festivities.

Ianto touched his lips and remembered how the warmth of Jack's lips on his own made the very tips of his ears tingle.

"You might just be right," he whispered, before finishing his drink and hopping down to find Owen before he danced himself into trouble.

* * *

_Holiday Assurance Dispatch Terminal_

_The Following Morning_

Donna Noble, Head Coordinator for Holiday Assurance, stood tapping her foot at the entrance to docking bay two, waiting for Team Icicle's return. Santa himself was coming down to congratulate them on a job well done and she could only pray that the four of them were somehow at least marginally sober when they returned.

"Still waiting on them Donna?" Santa asked as he came to stand beside her.

Donna nodded, suddenly worried as the sky was clear and there wasn't a single rainbow in sight.

Suddenly a loud voice screaming "Allonsy!" could be heard and the edge of a rainbow could be seen on the horizon. As the rainbow arched closer, the members of Team Icicle could be seen riding atop a red and gold sled with Doc in the lead screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Best step back Donna," Santa said with amusement. "It would appear our boys are coming in hot."

The rainbow reached the docking bay and the sleigh slid off of it, coming to an abrupt stop just inside the doors, causing the elves atop it be thrown off and land in a heap at Santa's feet.

Ianto and Owen groaned and stood up while Doc and Andy were grinning like loons.

"That was awesome!" Andy exclaimed, high-fiving Doc.

"Would you keep it down," groused Owen as he retrieved his sunglasses from the terminal floor where they had fallen off.

"Rough night lads?" asked Santa, watching in amusement as the four of them tried to stand at attention and barely succeeded.

"But worth it," Ianto replied with a grin. "As both Doc and Andy are going to be our personal valets for a month."

"Now hold on," Doc replied. "We both put our clovers in at the same time, so it was a tie." He looked to Andy for backup and the younger elf nodded.

"But we would have won if we didn't have to haul you two out of jail," Owen shot back.

"You went to jail?" Donna screeched, causing all four elves to wince. "Please tell me you had enough sparkle to cover your exit?" she asked, fearing the implications of them being seen.

"It was a-ma-zing!" Andy answered. "We were booked as the Leprechaun Bandits. They thought we were midgets. I feel so dangerous," he added with a grin before doing a couple of karate moves.

Donna turned red and looked like she was about to blow a gasket; when Santa placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Better than being put on trial for being a considered a fake by non-believers," Santa said, smiling at the other elves. "Relax Donna, everyone made it out in one piece and I am sure that anyone picking up the story will consider it a holiday prank." He winked at Ianto who gave him a smile of appreciation in return. "I can't tell you how many times the idea of a holiday prank has come in handy."

"But Santa," Donna began, still not happy with the team.

"Oh look, you even brought home the new sleigh that King Bran promised," Santa said, running his hands over the golden runners and red velvet trim. "Leprechauns have amazing skill with gold," he explained. "This baby will last me another two-hundred years at least. Donna you deserve a commendation for getting the sleigh here so early. I had no idea that King Bran was sending it over so soon. Good job lads."

"Thanks chief!" Andy said and he and the others gave Santa a salute while Donna sputtered out her own thanks, still not sure whether to smack or hug Team Icicle for their antics.

"As you were men," Santa said with a smile. "Come along Donna," he said as he left the terminal. "We have a lot to discuss before these Cottontail Corps go into effect and the boys need rest before they ship out again tomorrow."

Donna looked like she was going to protest, but instead threw a glare over her shoulder at the other elves and followed Santa out the terminal doors.

"Well that's sorted," said Ianto letting out a sigh of relief. "I could use a shower." The others nodded and the group made their way to the chimney-ports.

"Say Owen," Andy said as they reached the nearest port. "Since this round was definitely a tie, what do you say we have a rematch on Easter?"

Owen thought it over a moment as he punched in the code for the lockers. "You're on Nog," he finally replied watching Andy smile in relief. "But don't get too cocky," Owen continued, "I plan on getting_plenty_ dirty while helping out old Peter Cottontail; which means lots and lots of laundry.

"Whatever you say twinkle toes," Andy replied, causing Owen to growl and Ianto and Doc to laugh as the four of them disappeared in a burst of golden light.

* * *

_Leprechaun Cavern_

_Dunluce Castle_

King Bran ran his finger down the great ledger, checking off the last of the four-leaf clovers, satisfied that all were accounted for save the one wish that was pure enough to be granted for that year.

Pulling out his spectacles he turned to the end of the list to double check the name of the clover holder who would have their wish come true before the turning of the year.

"Alice Harkness, daughter of Captain Jack Harkness of Seren Glen," he read aloud. He read over her wish again, recalling the conversation he had the night before with an elf by the name of Ianto Jones, realizing that Ianto's Captain and Captain Jack Harkness were one in the same.

"Magical attraction indeed," he said to himself as he smiled in satisfaction and closed the ledger for another year.

_~finis~_

_

* * *

_

_**The Holiday Assurance Elves will be back in April for an Easter Adventure with the Cottontail Corps.**_

_**Thanks so much for reading!**_


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